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Saturday, February 22, 2014

Ackerman: Fair Map more important than term limits

By John C. Ackerman -

I completely understand we as Illinois Voters are tired of politics the way they stand today in Illinois. We are tired of the same elected leaders controlling the state and leaders who are more interested in control and little to nothing to do with what is best for the citizens of Illinois. And most of all, we are tired of these leaders making and changing the rules so that our vote, our voice stands for less and less.

Currently, this frustration has been focused on Term Limits as the solution to our problem. This is in no small way thanks to a very large amount of money coming from a very select few to promote this nebulous solution. But here is my concern about Term Limits the way it is being presented now and what I see as the current true solution.

The way the Term Limits legislation is currently written, it would only be focused at Illinois State Representatives and Illinois State Senators. Our US Congressmen and US Senators would not have term limits. More shocking, all of the Constitutional Officers (Illinois Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Attorney General and State Comptroller) would also be exempted from Term Limits.

Example: One of the targets of this current push for many Republicans is Mike Madigan. While this will successfully remove Mike Madigan, who is most likely close to retirement anyhow, this would allow his daughter Lisa Madigan to remain Attorney General and maybe someday Governor for as long as she would wish.

Your vote has a larger impact on your State Representative and Senator than the other elected officials I listed above. As such they are your voice. You can locate your State Representative and Senator close to your home and meet with them to discuss your concerns. How many of you have driven to Springfield lately to try to discuss an issue with the Governor? (For this Governor, try Chicago rather than Springfield)

Why would you want to handicap your own voice, that of your State Representative and State Senator, but do nothing to limit these other powerful leaders. The result would be a more powerful Governor and more powerful other Constitutional Leaders while your State Representative and Senator would be diminished.

Term Limits for all would be a completely different issue, but as it stands today Term Limits for your State Representative and Senator without the others is not reform and is not something I would support. I also find it interesting that the spokesman of this push for Term Leaders is campaigning for an office that would not be under Term Limits.

Real Reform is being offered today and it is called the Fair Map Amendment. Today the politicians can pick and chose who votes for them by the old process called "Gerrymandering.". If the Fair Map Amendment passes, the voters would decide who votes for the politicians. This would result in real reform and real change in Politics in Illinois.

Comments

Ackerman: Fair Map more important than term limits

By John C. Ackerman -

I completely understand we as Illinois Voters are tired of politics the way they stand today in Illinois. We are tired of the same elected leaders controlling the state and leaders who are more interested in control and little to nothing to do with what is best for the citizens of Illinois. And most of all, we are tired of these leaders making and changing the rules so that our vote, our voice stands for less and less.

Currently, this frustration has been focused on Term Limits as the solution to our problem. This is in no small way thanks to a very large amount of money coming from a very select few to promote this nebulous solution. But here is my concern about Term Limits the way it is being presented now and what I see as the current true solution.